5/25/2011

May 25th, 2011 is the tenth anniversary of Towel Day. What is Towel Day, you ask? It's a celebration of the life and work of the legendary Douglas Adams. Adams created and wrote the famed satirical science fiction novel, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. May 25th is exactly two weeks from Adams' death on May 11, 2001 (which also happened to be his birthday). Why a towel? Because according to Adams', "a towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." Personally, I consider the Hitchhiker's series to be a landmark in the formation of my sense of humor, and understanding the possibilities of science fiction literature. If you're a fan, how can you celebrate today? Here are some suggestions:

Meet some friends at a local pub (or a local "bar" as we Americans call it). Ask the bartender for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. Get very angry when the bartender says he has no idea what you're talking about. Argue with the bartender until you get thrown out. Find another pub. Repeat.

Have some friends over for some Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters (technically impossible to create on Earth based on the original recipe, but the official Hitchhiker's fanzine created an Earth version, and a nightclub called Zaphod Beeblebrox created another version that isn't as strong and glows in UV light). Or you can have one yourself and feel very lonely.